NCP expels Gazipur leader after arrest over extremist links

The National Citizen Party has permanently expelled Ataullah Shah, joint member secretary of its Gazipur metropolitan convener committee, following his arrest over alleged links to an extremist organisation.

The decision was announced in a letter issued by the party’s central convener committee on Monday.

According to the letter, Shah has been removed from his post, relieved of all organisational responsibilities and expelled from the party’s primary membership for allegedly engaging in activities contrary to the party’s principles and ideology.

Shah was arrested on July 5 along with five others from the Mini Cox’s Bazar area of Jatrabari in the capital.

Police later sought to show the six arrested under Section 54 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and requested a seven-day remand for interrogation.

According to the remand petition, police received intelligence that several people allegedly linked to an extremist organisation had gathered at a sand field beside land owned by the Amin Mohammad Group in Konapara’s Mini Cox’s Bazar area.

The petition said police conducted a raid around 6:30am, during which the suspects allegedly tried to flee before being detained.

Police claimed the suspects could not provide a satisfactory explanation during preliminary questioning about why they had gathered at the location. Investigators suspect they may have links to an alleged extremist organisation based on intelligence information and the initial investigation.

After a hearing, the court placed all six suspects on a three-day remand.

On Tuesday, after completion of the remand period, a court sent Ataullah Shah and three others to jail. Two other suspects were placed on a further three-day remand.

The allegations against the accused are still under investigation.